Taking Your Motorcycle out of Storage

(re-posted from the March 2011 Newsletter)

It's that time of year again!  All of us are eagerly awaiting the long, sunnier days so we can get back on our bikes and hit the road.  Some of us have already pulled our steeds out of storage and are enjoying the intermittent nice days of March . The "die hards" who have been riding year round undoubtedly welcome the warmer riding weather as much as anyone else. 

Below I have outlined a couple of points which should have been taken care of at the beginning of last season's storage period.  Following that is a brief checklist of things to look for when you take your bike out of storage this year and head out for the great riding season of 2011.

When you stored your motorcycle at the end of last season you knew that storing your bike was not as simple as rolling it into the back of a garage and forgetting about it.  If you wanted an easy start to this year's riding season there are some important steps you should have followed to ensure your motorcycle was ready to roll when you were.

The first and most important step would be the care of your motorcycle battery.  Motorcycle batteries slowly discharge over time. You may have experienced this after your motorcycle sat for only a week or two.  Now imagine what can happen if you left it alone for an entire winter.  (Hope you didn't learn the hard way.)  Your battery would  be dead, and depending on its condition before storage, it might not be able to take a charge again. Avoiding the cost and hassle of buying and installing a new battery in your bike on the first day of the new season is easy.  Keep your motorcycle battery charged!

 Today, unlike in the past, we have battery chargers that offer a low rate of charge only as needed by the battery. These battery chargers shut off when a full charge is reached  to avoid overcharging and damaging the battery. "Trickle chargers," as they are commonly called give you no excuse for not having kept your battery fully charged during the off season.

Fuel deterioration is also a problem when rolling your bike out after a long storage period.  Like batteries discharging, over time fuel will become 'stale' and create a gum and varnish buildup.This is not just in the gas in the tank, but also in the whole fuel system . To avoid hard or impossible starting of your motorcycle due to stale fuel, either removing the old fuel or treating it is a must. Draining a fuel tank is tedious and not much fun, and getting all of the gas out of carburetors (older, non fuel injected) is not much better. Fortunately there are fuel additives available today that will halt the negative effects of aging gas, which are perfect for your stored motorcycle.

Hopefully these things will have been done at the end of last season, and now with the nicer weather almost here your bike should be ready to rock when you are.

If you used Sta-Bil or a comparable fuel stabilizer, your fuel should be in good shape as long as storage has been for a year or less. Regardless, double check this by opening the filler cap and looking inside for gunk or stratification. If the fuel is consistent and clean, you can move to the next step. If not, you're better off draining the tank, fuel lines, and carburetor (if applicable) before running the engine. 

If you didn't spray fogging oil or lubricate the top of the cylinder before storage, you may want to remove the spark plugs and pour two tablespoons of oil into the spark plug ports; this will lubricate the top portion of the cylinder walls before you start up the bike.

Whether or not you drained and changed your engine oil before storage, you will still want to check the oil level before riding. If you didn't do an oil change before storage, now is a good time to consider an oil and filter change, especially since oil degrades when it sits over a period of time.

Motorcycle batteries tend to lose life quickly, especially in cold weather. If you kept your battery trickle charged or hooked up to a tender, it's probably in good shape. Nevertheless, check the leads for corrosion, and make sure they're attached firmly. If applicable, make sure your battery is topped off with distilled water, and if it's not completely charged don't ride until you're confident it will hold a charge and not leave you stranded.

Check your clutch, brake, and coolant levels.  Remember that if brake fluid needs topping off, you'll need to use a new, sealed supply that is the same brand as the fluid already in the system.

If you kept the weight off your motorcycle's wheels and suspension, well done! Most likely you're tires and suspension are in good shape.  You should still thoroughly inspect them however before riding. If your motorcycle rested on a kickstand over the winter, check to make sure there are no unusual stress marks, cracks, or flat spots on the tires. Make sure your tire wear, inflation levels, and general health are ready for the road. Check your chain for slackness or rust spots. clean the chain  and re-oil it with the bike on a stand.

IMPORTANT***  Don't just take off after your thorough inspection. Start the bike and let it idle for a few minutes to get all the fluids circulating.

GET RE-AQUAINTED WITH YOUR BIKE'S ERGONOMICS. Sit on the bike in different positions and get yourself accustomed to the feel of the bike again.

Before you ride off into the sunset, don't forget that the most important part of a motorcycle is you, the operator. If you suspect you're rusty (and there's a good possibility you are), practice riding in an empty parking lot, taking it easy until you're up to speed.
When all is completed, you will have made sure you are ready to roll.  Suit up in all your safety gear, call your buddies and ride on!

Cheers, 

Josh